Maurer Might Be Better Off As A Rainier For The Rest Of 2013

SEATTLE, WA - APRIL 09: Starting pitcher Brandon Maurer #37 of the Seattle Mariners gets a visit from catcher Jesus Montero #63 in the first inning against the Houston Astros at Safeco Field on April 9, 2013 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)

(1090 The Fan) – Brandon Maurer’s demotion to Triple-A Tacoma isn’t surprising to Mariner faithful; the young starter’s struggles this season have been more than just growing pains.

In 2013, the Southern California native only logged two wins in ten starts while at the same time racking up a 6.93 ERA. Even worse, batters were hitting .332 against him.

J.J. Matthews of the Bleacher Report thinks Maurer needs to spend the rest of the season in the minor leagues, saying if he were to continue pitching every fifth day, more harm would be done to his confidence. Matthews says, “When young pitchers start getting hit hard, most of them start going away from the mechanics that got them to the majors. In turn, they develop bad habits that make issues worse.”